Adigwe said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday in Abuja, describing the current administration’s efforts as a clear departure from years of neglect and lip service.

According to him, the government had demonstrated seriousness by setting up a ministerial committee on the development and commercialisation of phytomedicines, with NIPRD appointed to lead the process.

Phytomedicines, also known as herbal or botanical medicines, are plant-based products used in the treatment and prevention of diseases.

While rooted in traditional practices, they are increasingly validated through scientific research to ensure their efficacy and safety.

Adigwe highlighted that an estimated 70 to 75 per cent of Nigerians relied on phytomedicines such as ‘agbo, magani, and ogwu igbo’ when ill.

He said in spite of the widespread usage, the sector had previously received inadequate institutional support.

“For a long time, phytomedicines only got lip service, but this administration is taking bold, concrete steps.

“I must commend the Ministers of Health for driving this vision,” he said.

The D-G pointed to NIPRD’s track record, including the development of a sickle cell remedy from indigenous plants.

He also highlighted the institute’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it conducted the world’s first scientific analysis of the controversial COVID organics herbal preparation.

“That particular product put Nigeria on the map in terms of science and ensured that millions of dollars were not wasted on a product without scientific backing,” Adigwe said.

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He noted that the newly constituted committee comprised stakeholders from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, traditional medicine practitioners, public service, and the diaspora.

Adigwe said that the composition reflected a multi-sectoral, whole-of-government approach aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain, PVAC.

“We are not just developing products in isolation.

“We’re integrating agriculture, small and medium enterprises, trade and investment, foreign partnerships, everything that can make phytomedicines a catalyst for health and economic development,” he explained.

Adigwe emphasised that countries like China and India had effectively used phytomedicines to boost both public health and industrial growth.

Nigeria, he said, could do the same with the right mix of policy support, research investment, and philanthropy.

He called on wealthy Nigerians to emulate global examples of philanthropic funding in health research.

“We have billionaires here with the same capacity as John Rockefeller.

“Instead of limiting philanthropy to food handouts, they can invest in scientific research that benefits future generations,” he said.

Adigwe added that the framework being developed would benefit not just NIPRD but also Nigeria’s more than 200 universities, more than 150 local pharmaceutical manufacturers, and millions of Nigerians who relied on traditional remedies.

To promote inclusiveness, he said the committee was collecting data nationwide and encouraging input from both scientists and citizens who use traditional medicine.

“If you’ve used ‘agbo or ogwu igbo’, your opinion counts.

“We have a questionnaire on the NIPRD website, www.niprd.gov.ng, and we want every Nigerian to participate,” Adigwe said.

Source: NAN

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Shaibu, stated this when he returned his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, nomination form for the governorship election, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

The deputy governor, who alleged that some elders of the party had been bought over, however, expressed delight that youths and some elders were strongly behind him.

“By the grace of God, our support is organic, it is not procured. I am not an aspirant that is being pushed; I am not an aspirant that is cut off from the people.

“Edo people, the voters know me, they touch me, they feel me. We have already dealt with the issue of godfatherism but it is rearing its ugly head again.

“I am happy that the governor had told us that even if he tries to impose somebody on us as the new godfather, that we should deal with him.

“We are standing on the mandate of the people. My support is organic and with Shaibu, PDP will retain its seat in Edo State,” he said.

Shaibu added: “We started the journey of rescuing Edo State in 2006 and we were conscious of what we wanted to achieve.

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“We said that we needed to take our state back and return it to the people and we did take the state back and returned it to the people.

“Along the line, something happened and the state is about to be hijacked again and we said no.

“This election is another challenge, they want to take the state from Edo people and return it to businessmen and we are saying no because Edo State cannot return to Egypt.”

“Edo State will continually move forward and the only way it can move forward is if power resides with the people.

“PDP says Power to the People, and not power to business friends or business colleagues.”

Shaibu said he was in the race not because of any inordinate ambition, but for his desire to save Edo from businessmen who wanted to take over the state.

“We have already dealt with the issue of godfatherism but it is rearing its ugly head again.

“I am happy that the governor had told us that even if he tries to impose somebody on us as the new godfather, that we should deal with him.”

Shaibu expressed confidence that if given PDP’s ticket, there would be massive movement of people to the party, adding that PDP would not only win the election, Edo would be made a reference point in Nigeria.

He said that he had already developed a blueprint of what he wanted to do when elected the state governor.

“I have set up a committee already on what we are going to do. I understand the feeling of the people.

“We already have our plans on what we are going to do,” he said.

At the party secretariat, PDP Deputy National Organising Secretary, Pascal Adigwe, while acknowledging Shaibu’s record of achievements, urged him and other PDP aspirants to embrace peace in the pursuit of their ambition.

“We know you as we know others. It is our hope and belief that in this race, you will run it well. We are only begging, let there be peace.

“Let us go into the primary and ultimately the election, putting peace in front.

“You know that we are not scared of the other side of peace but please let us go peacefully.

“Secondly, let us consider the wishes of the people we want to govern, how do they want to be governed and we can craft our aspirations and ambitions around what the people wants.

“Thirdly, extra commitment, extra unity of purpose, extra struggle cannot be over-emphasised. So, we are begging, hold our party strong,” he said.

He added: “You are not new in contesting election, we are not new in encountering you.

“So, you know what to do and you know that in the elections that you have contested in the past, you have always won, meaning that someone has also always lost and the person didn’t die.

“So, elections can be won or lost depending on how God wants it.

“All I am asking is, you win you stay, you lose you stay.”

Source: NAN

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